ABSTRACT

This study investigates the knowledge of stroke risk factors and early recognition among nurses working at the Regional Hospital Limbe, Cameroon. Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, yet awareness and understanding of its risk factors and symptoms remain critical challenges, particularly in low-resource settings. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design, utilizing a self-administered questionnaire to assess nurses’ knowledge of stroke, its symptoms, risk factors, and emergency management protocols. A total of 30 nurses participated in the study, providing demographic data and responding to questions on stroke-related knowledge and practices. The findings indicate significant gaps in knowledge, particularly regarding less common risk factors and the urgency of stroke care. Despite general awareness of common risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes, nurses demonstrated insufficient knowledge of advanced stroke management techniques and emergency interventions. The study highlights the need for targeted training programs and continuous professional development to enhance nurses’ capabilities in stroke prevention, early diagnosis, and management. It also calls for improved hospital policies and greater awareness campaigns to bridge the knowledge gap and ultimately reduce stroke-related morbidity and mortality. The results of this study are intended to inform healthcare policymakers, nursing educators, and hospital administrators to design effective interventions to improve stroke care in the region.

Keywords: Stroke, Nurses, Risk Factors, Knowledge, Regional Hospital Limbe, Stroke Management, Healthcare, Cameroon.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Stroke is a debilitating condition with devastating consequences or outcomes. Stroke results when there is block or a break in the arteries supplying blood to the brain. Sacco et al.’s (2013) updated definition of stroke encompasses the clinical and tissue criteria irrespective of areas of focus, whether in practice, research, or public health assessments. Ischemic stroke is thus defined as “an episode of neurological dysfunction caused by focal cerebral, spinal, or retinal infarction” (Sacco et al., 2013, p. 2072). Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a brief episode of neurological dysfunction from focal brain ischemia without acute infarction (Sacco et al., 2013). Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a localized collection of blood in the brain parenchyma or ventricles while subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is bleeding into the subarachnoid space (Sacco et al., 2013). Stroke is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally and lack of knowledge and poor risk factor control is contributing to its rise in incidence.

Knowledge is a vital concept in any prevention or risk reduction effort. However, knowledge alone cannot determine or change human behavior. For the purpose of this study, knowledge is conceptualized as awareness, gaining insight or information of a specific situation or disease process (Khalili & Abdairahim, 2014). In addition to knowledge, attitude towards what is known is equally important. Attitude is conceptualized as the reaction towards known predispositions (Bano, Alshammari, 2 Fatima, & Al-Shammari, 2013). Practice is conceptualized as the application of knowledge (Bano et al., 2013). Based on this background on knowledge, attitude, and practice, the relevance of these to aspects of this research is substantial.

Patients with symptoms that maybe indicate a stroke or TIA have their brains scanned using computed tomography (CT). CT has a great sensitivity for identifying bleeding. It’s approximately 100 percent in the case of haemorrhage, and it’s around 95 percent in the case of SAH. The CT evidence of an infarction can take a long time to appear, and even big infarctions might be undetected for hours. The initial tomographic symptom of a developing infarction is hyper density (increased attenuation), which most typically indicates an acute intramural thrombosis. However, the diagnosis is clinically verified following a patient’s neurological examination, not based on tomography or other imaging data. A later CT picture, generally an hour or more later, may reveal less attenuation (hypoattenuation). Another tool for diagnosing stroke is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which is more sensitive and shows both the pathophysiology and the anatomy, making it more demanding for the emergency patients. During the recent age, this method has advanced at a quick pace. The MRI examination takes longer. Abnormalities can be detected early using MRI, in some cases in only a few minutes. MRI identifies abnormalities in the brainstem more accurately. It’s also utilized to figure out where haemorrhages come from. After a stroke or TIA, B-mode ultrasonography is also utilized to view the common carotid and vertebral arteries. This can detect atherosclerotic alterations that might explain why the attack happened. When a doctor suspects stenosis and the amount of stenosis have reached 50% or more, many stroke patients receive this evaluation.

1.2 Problem Statement

Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally, yet its prevention and management rely heavily on early recognition of risk factors and symptoms. Nurses play a crucial role in stroke prevention, early detection, and patient care. However, limited knowledge or awareness of stroke risk factors among nurses can hinder timely interventions and effective patient management. In Cameroon, where the burden of non-communicable diseases is rising, understanding nurses’ knowledge of stroke risk factors is critical for improving healthcare outcomes.

At the Regional Hospital Limbe, nurses are at the frontline of patient care, making their awareness and ability to identify stroke risks essential. Despite this, there is limited research assessing the level of knowledge among nurses regarding stroke risk factors. A gap in knowledge may lead to delayed recognition and inadequate patient education, increasing the risk of preventable strokes. This study seeks to assess the knowledge of stroke risk factors among nurses at the Regional Hospital Limbe and identify factors that may contribute to gaps in their awareness. The findings will help in developing targeted training programs to enhance stroke prevention and management in the healthcare setting.

Research Questions

Main Research Question:

• What is the level of knowledge and awareness of stroke risk factors among nurses working at the Regional Hospital Limbe?

Specific Research Questions:

1. What are the common risk factors of stroke known by nurses at the Regional Hospital Limbe?
2. What is the level of knowledge of stroke signs and symptoms among nurses in the hospital?
3. What are the sources of information through which nurses acquire knowledge about stroke risk factors?
4. What are the challenges nurses face in identifying and preventing stroke among patients?
5. How does the level of experience and professional training influence nurses’ knowledge of stroke risk factors?

Research Objectives

Main Research Objective:

• To assess the knowledge and awareness of stroke risk factors among nurses working at the Regional Hospital Limbe.

Specific Research Objectives:

1. To identify the common risk factors of stroke known by nurses at the hospital.
2. To evaluate nurses’ knowledge of stroke signs and symptoms.
3. To determine the sources of information that contribute to nurses’ knowledge of stroke risk factors.
4. To examine the challenges nurses face in recognizing and preventing stroke.
5. To assess the influence of experience and professional training on nurses’ knowledge of stroke risk factors.

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